Hopedale nursing home to close

A local nursing home that was under investigation by the Board of Health and state Department of Environmental Protection for a faulty septic system earlier this year is closing its doors.

Joe O'Connell, Daily News staff

A local nursing home that was under investigation by the Board of Health and state Department of Environmental Protection for a faulty septic system earlier this year is closing its doors.

Officials at the Continuing Care Center of Hopedale on South Main Street are relocating patients to other nursing homes, but would not say why the facility was closing after more than 30 years in business.

"I have been asked by the owners not to comment on that," said Administrator Anthony Franchi. "It is true that the facility is closing."

The owners of the nursing home are based in New Jersey, and Franchi said he did not know what future plans they have for the building.

There are currently 14 patients at the Continuing Care Center, which has the capacity to house about 65 patients.

In June, the facility's septic system broke, causing untreated sewage to leak into wetlands behind the building.

Board of Health Inspector Lenny Izzo said a letter was sent to the nursing home, which ordered the septic tanks be pumped daily and that the entire system be fixed. Izzo estimated it would cost about $100,000 to repair the system.

"They had a number of septic issues over the years," said Izzo. "The reason the septic system had a problem is pure negligence on their part."

Environmental Protection was called in by the Board of Health after the initial investigation in June. The unprocessed sewage was leaking into a nearby river, which eventually reaches the backup water supply for Woonsocket, R.I.

Izzo said that the system had a red warning light that turned on whenever there was a problem. But, the light was on for so long that it eventually burnt out.

"That is unheard of because it is such a low-wattage bulb," said Izzo. "When the alarm went off, they completely ignored it."

Izzo said even though the nursing home is closing, the order to pump the tanks is still standing, but it is not as urgent because there are no patients.